Sam Fender has donated the full amount of his £25,000 award prize money to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the Britain's small music venues.
Fender was given the prize on October 16 as his latest record People Watching was chosen as the top album of the past year.
Fender has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part small stages had in his initial steps.
"I wouldn't be doing my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the region, and beyond, when I was just getting going," stated Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – roughly 16% of the entire UK sector.
In the last year, major artists like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a modest fee to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
He also took part, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds assisted spaces that were facing potential shutdown due to issues caused by floods, fires and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and noise complaints.
Some locations obtained funding support in upgrading infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that helped performers and fans.
"The notion that money from shows in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has said.
Fender is among several artists to give his award prize money to charitable organizations.
When they won the prize in the mid-90s for their release Different Class, frontman Cocker announced that the band would give their cash to the organization War Child.
During 2002, artist the artist split her bounty among several good causes, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed updated gear," she told outlets.
Two years ago, the band gave their winnings to the youth organization that nurtured their group, in addition to other local music groups.
Also 1994 winners the group contributed their prize to a MS organization after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.
"Winning was quite enough," stated singer Small. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the bonus, because we had the cake. So our success affected somebody else's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued several local spots in that region, by placing them under local control.
The Joiners in the city and the other in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is backed by a national body and supporters who purchase "ownership units" in the venues.
